Those Four Words
by Captain.Kirk.Rocks
Summary: One-Shot. "Chekov stops walking in one of those frozen, hunched over positions that a child gets when caught sneaking away from the cookie jar.  Only Chekov doesn't have cookies- noooo, he has command."


Those Four Words

It's one of _those_ days. Chekov can't quite explain it, but he feels it in his gut. An odd, apprehensive pressure that tells him something…different will happen. Either that or he has gas from last night's taco buffet – Mexican doesn't agree with him, yet he still ate seven tacos. His mother would attribute that to Chekov being a "growing boy who needs his food!" And then she would pinch his cheeks, which Chekov doesn't like so much.

Anyway, Chekov slightly shakes his head to clear away those errant thoughts as he hurries through the hall. Chekov is always in a hurry – he has places to be, mainly the Bridge. Yes, ladies and gents, the Bridge where the best of the best are. And Captain Kirk, who went suddenly racing by Chekov, was flailing his arms like he does when he is running really hard.

_Oy_, thinks Chekov, flattening himself against the shiny hallway. Another blur, Uhura. Oh boy, if Uhura is gone that means Chekov can read her romance novel without her noticing. Or maybe he will read it alone, later, while Sulu is out of their shared room.

That apprehensive-gas pressure is still there, but Chekov ignores it because it seems this day will be okay. Until the captain's distant voice hollers down the corridor, "CHEKOV, YOU HAVE THE CONN!"

Chekov stops walking in one of those frozen, hunched over positions that a child gets when caught sneaking away from the cookie jar. Only Chekov doesn't have cookies- noooo, he has command.

He hates those four words. _You_ – meaning Chekov, because obviously enough stress can't be put on the seventeen-year-old's shoulders before he starts getting premature gray hair. _Have_ – a transitive verb meaning to own something. But the Enterprise isn't Chekov's to own – she belongs to Kirk, who is probably on a shuttle to some alien planet where he will contract some odd disease that will turn him into a tulip. Chekov doesn't want what should be James Kirk's, because that is an honor Chekov is not quite ready to have yet. _The_ – a three letter word. Nothing special about this one. _Conn_ – the command. The position of Head Honcho (_See_, Chekov tensely thinks, _there's the tacos popping up again by putting Spanish into my head). _

A responsibility Chekov does not think he can handle. What can he do with all these innocent – well, with the exception of Kirk – lives in his hands? What if those three higher-ranking officers die? Will Chekov be prepared to take matters into his own hands?

He's a genius, yes, but he's also a kid. And now this kid is in the turbo-lift, not knowing what to expect when he enters the Bridge. He doesn't know what the situation is and now his stomach is tightening even more (turns out it _was_ just gas).

Stepping out of the turbo-lift, he sees the grinning, leisurely faces of the crew. Sulu is _lounging_ with his feet propped up on the consol. Another Ensign is cracking jokes to a small audience of…oh, just himself.

"What is this?" Chekov asks, "What are you doing? Who's monitoring the away team's signals?"

Everyone stares at him, then they start to laugh. Chekov bristles, but Sulu smiles in the friendly way of his (when he's not slicing off Romulans with his fencing skillz, Sulu is actually a pretty chill guy).

"Relax, Chekov. It's check-up day and Kirk ran out on Dr. McCoy, but he has Spock and Uhura going after him."

Oh. Right.

Chekov sighs and flops down into the Captain's Chair, slouching down in…disappointment. Deep down, Chekov wishes he could be the captain of a starship and get all the girls like Kirk. He will just have to wait a little longer, it seems.

Quietly moping while the crew jokes around, Chekov's vision is suddenly obscured by a well-curved figure.

"Need anything, acting captain?" It's Janice Rand, the Yeoman, and her ample breasts are right in Chekov's line of sight.

"Um, we-ll," Chekov says to Janice's breasts, "Perhaps a coffee?"

"Sure, you got it," says Janice's breasts, and then they are gone.

Sulu catches his friend's eye and raises his brows up and down, but Chekov ignores him. Okay, now he really wants to be captain.

Janice returns with his coffee, and just as Chekov reaches for it, a hand swoops in and the hot, caffeinated beverage is gone.

"Thanks, Rand, I needed this so bad," Captain Kirk melodramatically sighs, "That was a traumatic experience."

Kirk looks at Chekov, who looks up at the Captain from the chair – then his eyes dart over to Janice's breasts, and then back to the Captain (he can't help himself). Kirk notices.

"Bye, Chekov, thanks for warming my seat."

Damn.


End file.
